Reading stand



May 23, 1933. T SHAW 1,910,505

READING STAND Filed 001;. 15, 1930 Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT; OFFICETHOMAS R. SHAW, F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA READING STAND ApplicationfiledOctober 13, 1930. Serial No. 488,337.

This invention has relation to a reading stand. An object of theinvention is to provide a reading stand including a reading rack ofnovel and improved construction, and novel and improved means for adjustably supporting the reading rack upon the stand.

A further object is to provide a reading stand including a table,reading rack, etc.,

associated with the stand and adjustable thereon in novel and improvedmanner.

A still further object is to provide a reading rack for receivingreading matter such as a. book, and means for adj ustably supportingsaid reading rack in any preferred position whereby reading matterthereon can be conveniently viewed from any desired location relativelyto the rack, i. e., from below, from above, or from a side of the rack.

lVith the above objects in view, as well as others which will appear asthe specification proceeds, the invention comprises the construction,arrangement and combination of parts as now to be fully described and ashereinafter to be specifically claimed, it being understood that thedisclosure herein is merely illustrative and intended in no way in'alimiting sense, changes indetails of construction and arrangement of theparts being permissible so long as within the spirit of the inventionand the scope of the claims which follow.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a reading stand made according to theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view as seen from the right in Fig.1, detailing the reading rack of the reading stand; I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view detailing portions of the meansfor accomplishing vertical adjustment of the table, rack, etc., of thereading stand, and

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view, partially in section and partially inelevation, detailing portions of the reading rack and-the longitudinallyand rotatably adjustable support therefor.

A base for the reading stand of the present invention may consist ofsuitable legs 10, and

a hollow upright or post 11. A vertically post 11.

ner.

adjustable support 12 includes an external thread 13 at its lowerportion engaging an internal thread 14- of the hollow upright or A smalltable 15 is fixed to the support 12 as at 16, in such manner thatrotation of the table will cause the thread 13 to turn in the thread 14so that the table will move upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be.

The support 12 includes a collar or circumferential shoulder 17 which isengaged by an internal annular flange 18 at the lower portion of asleeve 19 surrounding the upper portion of the support 12. The upperportion of the sleeve 19 is internally threaded to receive a verticalportion 20 of a T-niember including horizontal parts 21 and 22. Theupper portion of the T-member terminates in close proximity to the tablebrackets and includes an opening through which the upper end of thesupport 12 snugly passes, as best shown in Fig. 3.

The horizontal portion 21 of the T-member carries an arm 23 which maysupport an ash receiver or other contrivance, such as 24, and thehorizontal portion 22 of said T-member carries an arm 25 which supportsa reading frame or rack, indicated generally at 26. The arms 23 and 25are as shown threadably received in the horizontal parts 21 and 22,respectively, and eachof said arms 23 and 25 is desirably adjustablelengthwise.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 4:, the arm 25 consists of a tubularportion 27 which telescopically receives'a rod 28. The outer end ofthetubular portion 27 is desirably tapered and split as indicated at 29,and is received by a nut or fingerpiece 30 with tapered interior for thepurpose of grippingly and releasably fastening the rod 28 at anyadjusted position in said tubular portion 27. The arm 23 may also belongitudinally adjustable in about the manner as set forth.

The outer end of the rod 28 desirably integrally supports the readingframe or rack 26, which is as shown of rectilinear conformation,including side walls 31 and end walls 32. The walls 31 and 32 may beassociated witheach other in any suitable man- As disclosed, each of thewalls 31, 32 is a hollow channel, including a slot 33, all

of the slots 33 opening inwardly, see Figs. 1 and 4.

Each opposite end portion of the frame or rack 26 pivot-ally andsuitably supports a shelf 34, said shelves 34: desirably being at thesame side of the frame or rack and being independently movable fromposition against or adjacent to the rack to position at the ends thereofand perpendicular thereto, see Figs. 1 and 2.

The space between the walls 32 32 and 3131 is open or unfilled, save forreading matter or book supporting elements 35 and 36 which extendlongitudinally and laterally, respectively, between said walls. Eachelement 35 and 36 may be a cord or wire. As shown, each includes knobsor protuberances 37 upon its opposite ends, arranged within the channelsof the frame members 31 or 32, as the case may be, to be slidabletherein when this is intentional, the end portions of the cords or wiresadjacent the knobs or protuberances passing through the slots 33. I havepreferred to disclose one longitudinal element 35 and three lateralelements 36. It is to be understood, of course, that a greater or lessnumber of elements 35 and 36 can be employed.

It will be observed that by the arrangement shown in Fig. 4., the rod 28may be freely rotated in the tubular portion 27 to fix the frame or rack26 at any desired angular relation, see Fig. 2, disclosing the rack infull lines and in dotted lines in two of the different positions whichit is capable of assuming.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 1, the arm 25 removably and adjustablysupports a clip 38 which conveniently carries a cord 39 leading to alamp, indicated generally at 40. A

portion 41 of the cord 39 is relatively stiff,

but yet bendable, to support the lamp at any desired relation to theframe or rack 26, no matter what may be the position of the frame orrack, and the clip 38 is adjustable upon the arm 25 to initially set thecord 39 at any preferred relation to said frame or rack 26. With moreparticular reference to Figs. 1

and 3, it will be seen that when the table 15 is revolved to rotate thesupport 12 and cause the screw 13 to be turned in the upright or post11, the T-member carrying the arms 23 and 25 will not rotate with saidtable, but will move vertically therewith by reason of the engagement ofthe internal annular flange 18 with the collar or circumferentialshoulder 17 of said support 12. It will also be observed that by thearrangement as shown, the arms 23 and 25, together with the ash receiver241 and the reading frame or rack 26, can be rotated upon the support 12independently of the vertical movement of said support, so that the ashreceiver 24 and the reading frame or rack 26 can be situated at anypreferred position around said table, no matter what may be itselevation.

In addition to the vertical adjustment, particularly of the frame orrack 26, as just described, and the adjustment of said frame or rackaround the table, the arm 28 is longitudinally adjustable in the manneras already set forth, to move the frame or rack inwardly and outwardly,or radially, of the support 12 and the table 15 and said frame or rackis also rotatable upon the portion 27 of the arm 25 as an axis tovertical, horizontal or any desired oblique position. The shelves 34provide means for insuring that reading matter cannot slide off of theframe or rack no matter what may be its position, and by the arrangementas shown and described, including the book supporting elements or rests35 and 36, reading matter may be laid upon the reading frame or rack 26with either its back surface or its front or readable surface againstsaid elements 35 and 36. That is to say, the back of a book can be laidupon the elements 35 and 36 so that the printed pages are visible fromabove or the printed pages of the book may be laid upon said elements 35and 36 to be visible from beneath the reading rack.

It will be apparent that when the table 15 is rotated to move thesupport 12 vertically, the table brackets will rotate upon the up perend portion of the T-member, and the collar or circumferential shoulder17 will rotate under the internal annular flange 18. Also, when the arms23 and 25, with the parts supported thereby, are rotated about saidsupport 12, the T-member will rotate beneath the table brackets and theinternal annular flange 18 will rotate upon the collar orcircumferentialshoulder 17. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, theinternal annular flange 18 has snug fit upon the support 12.

What I claim is V 1. In a device of the character described, a readingrack comprising an open frame, spaced apart members of relatively smalltransverse dimension extending across said frame for supporting readingmatter with either its reading surface resting upon said members or itsback surface resting upon said members, means adjustably supporting saidmembers in said frame, a horizontal support upon which said reading rackis rotatably adjustable to be set at vertical, horimembers or its backsurface resting upon said members, means adjustably supporting saidmembers in said frame, a horizontal support upon which said reading rackis rotatably adjustable to be set at vertical, horizontal, or anypreferred oblique position, means for fastening said rack at anyposition to which set, and means for accomplishing vertical andhorizontal adjustments of said reading rack.

i. A reading stand comprising a base, a support turnable therein to havevertical movement, a table fixed to said support, an element rotatableupon said support and movable vertically therewith, and a reading rackassociated with said element.

5. A reading stand comprising a base, a support thereon, a table fixedto said support, means adapted to be rotated by said table to move saidsupport vertically in said base, a sleeve about said support androtatably carried thereby beneath said table, said sleeve being movablevertically with said support,

a telescoping, horizontally positioned arm associated with said sleeve,a reading rack rigid with an outer element of said telescoping arm androtatable upon said arm as an axis, and means for fixing the telescopingportions of said arm relatively to each other to locate said readingrack at adjusted relation to said support and at adjusted angularrelation upon its axis.

6. A reading stand comprising a base, a support thereon, a table fixedto said support, means adapted to be rotated by said table to move saidsupport vertically in said base, a sleeve about said support androtatably carried thereby beneath said table, said sleeve being movablevertically with said support, a pair of oppositely disposed,telescoping, horizontally positioned arms associated with said sleeve, areading rack rigid with an outer element of one of said telescoping armsand rotatable upon said arm as an axis, means for fixing the telescopingportions of said last mentioned arm relatively to each other to locatesaid reading rack at adjusted relation to said support and at adjustedangular relation upon its axis, and a smokers utensil rigid with anouter element of the other of said telescoping arms.

7. The combination as specified in claim 6, and means for fixing thetelescoping portions of the arm which carries said smokers utensilrelatively to each other to locate said smokers utensil at adjustedrelation to said support.

8. A reading stand comprising a base, a support thereon mounted to havevertical movement, a sleeve about said support and rotatable thereon,said sleeve being movable vertically with said support, a pair oftelescoping, horizontally positioned arms associated with said sleeve, areading rack rigid with an outer element of one of said telescoping armsand rotatable upon said arm as an axis, means for fixing the telescopingportions of said last mentioned arm relatively to each other to locatesaid reading rack at adjusted relation to said support and at adjustedangular relation upon its axis, a smokers utensil rigid with an outerelement of the other of said telescoping arms, and means for fixing thetelescoping portions of said arm carrying said smokers utensilrelatively to each other to locate said smokers utensil at adjustedrelation to said support.

9. In a device of the character described, a reading rack comprising anopen frame, a pivoted shelf at each end of said frame, means in saidframe for supporting reading matter with either its surface containingreadable characters resting upon said means or its back surface restingupon said means, means rotatably supporting said reading rack to beadjustable to vertical, horizontal, or any pre ferred oblique position,means for fastening said reading rack at any angular position to whichit may be adjusted, and means for accomplishing vertical and horizontaladjustments of said reading rack.

10. In a device of the character described, a reading rack comprising anopen frame, a pivoted shelf at each end of said reading rack, means insaid frame for supporting reading matter with either its surface to beread resting upon said means or its back surface resting upon saidmeans, a horizontal axis for said reading rack, means for fastening saidreading rack at any desired angular position upon said axis, means foraccomplishing vertical adjustments of said horizontal axis, and meansfor accomplishing horizontal adjustments of said reading rack.

THOMAS R. SHAW.

